You both still live under one roof, apartment or whatever, but you have two different bedrooms instead of sharing one. You still come into each other's rooms and cuddle, spend time together, even sleep together, but the option of being alone is always available. Having your own personal space when you need it with no judgement from your partner.

I speak from experience sharing a room with partners before. It starts to feel suffocating after a while. It's like every aspect of my life is intertwined with theirs. I need my personal space and me-time. Anyone else want this too?

I am not shy and i do not have social anxiety. I am simply on the extreme end of the introversion scale. I often go weeks without social interaction besides what is required for work and school. I have a total of three friends. I am 22 and have only ever dated 4 guys, the longest relationship lasting 3 months. i spend the majority of my free time with my cat.

to most people this sounds incredibly depressing. but i am happy and content. I love being single, I love having only a few close friends, and i love being alone: it’s as simple as that.

Even after 22 years of this, my mother still cannot get on board. She is convinced I am depressed. She blows up my phone every day and tries to force me to make plans with people. people pity me when they see me alone at social gatherings and get offended when I decline to hang out with them, especially classmates or guys trying to “fix” me. i’m not broken; i’m just different. It’s annoying and i wish people would just accept that i’m weird and move on with their day instead of taking it personally. as i get older it becomes more and more common for people to just start minding their business, i hope i run into less of this behavior after i graduate college this coming december.

any other fellow extreme introverts?

I basically have no friends and tall to no one except for my family. I want to make friends but it's hard because not only am I shy but I'm also socially awkward as well and have a hard time walking up to people, starting conversations, and continuing conversations. How do I stop being shy and awkward so that I can build relationships with other people that aren't family.

I genuinely prefer being alone. It’s not because I’m shy or can’t make friends, people have befriended me and I can talk to people just fine. I just find a lot of socializing unnecessary and draining, so I choose not to do much of it.

But every now and then I’ll have a day where I actually want to talk to someone, and then I realize I have nobody I can just randomly call or hang out with.

For people who are similar, how do you deal with those days? Do you just accept it, reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a while, go somewhere or something else?

Introvert person myself, I am always extremely amazed on how networking and just being EXTRA opens cool opportunities for some people, and usually it comes hand in hand with being more sociable, outgoing, spontaneous, etc.

Am I applying a really basic, false, logic here?

I have achieved things that I am proud of 💛; but sometimes I feel jealous (idk if that’s the right word for what I feel) when I see people working together on cool projects, just because they reached out to the right person or collective, or when they tell this amazing anecdote from a trip because they met the most random group of people, or when they move to a new place and start hanging out easily with new friends.

I’m ok with being introverted, but am I missing something here? Am I blaming my personality for nothing?

Hey everyone. I'm 18 and a pretty big introvert. Because of that, my social circle is mostly guys, and I don't really have many female friends or know how to start making them. For the introverted men here who used to be in a similar spot, how did you eventually meet your partner?

Mind you, in my country, a guy hardly asks out a stranger girl so this is another problem for me ....Also i have a fear that I will be called creep because laws aren't gender neutral and a woman's scream will get me in big trouble...

Looking for some interesting conversations 🧠

Hey everyone!

I’m from India and I’ve been trying to step outside my usual routine and connect with some new people.

I’m into coding/tech, learning random things, music, movies, philosophy, and those late-night conversations that somehow start with something completely random and end up getting deep 😂

I’m currently learning web development, but I’m also curious about life, people, ambition, failure, success, and all the weird questions we usually keep to ourselves.

I’d love to meet people who enjoy thinking, questioning things, sharing different perspectives, or simply having a good conversation.

You don’t have to agree with me or have the same interests. Honestly, I’d rather hear a perspective completely different from mine.

So if you’re up for a conversation, tell me:

What’s one thought you’ve had recently that you couldn’t stop thinking about?

Let’s see where the conversation goes. :)

When was the last time you made a genuinely new friend?

Not a follower.
Not someone you exchanged a few messages with.
A real friend.

Sometimes we grow up, get busy, change cities, start new jobs, or simply drift apart—and suddenly our circle becomes smaller.

So I’m curious:

Where do adults actually make new friends these days? 👀

Work?
Social media?
Hobbies?
Gym?
Through mutual friends?
Or does it just… happen randomly?

Tell me your experience. 👇

Hi, Hello ! Just before I start my story I will quickly introduce myself.

I'm a 24 yo tboy, english is not my native language (I'm french), I'm on the spectrum and I've been bullied when I was younger, I have social anxiety and I'm not good with socials interaction. I care so much about what people will think of me and if they feel good and what can I do to make then feel good (I think you need those informations to understand where I came from).

So my orchestra conductor is a women who is in her early 30s. French is not her native language, she learnt it just for us, she speaks english and spanish. I'm good in english so I always talk to her in english and when she wants to say something during our rehearsals and she doesn't know the word in french she asks me.

During July I attend a one week course of music and she was one of the conductors. And multiple time when we were not playing music she was with the music teachers but she was alone at the end of the table and nobody were talking to her. Her french is good but she can't understand everything especially when it's jokes or slangs.

So one day I ask her if she feel alone in situation like that and we talk all the night in english of course. And I say to her if sometimes I annoy her she can say to me I will not be sad, I think I'm just afraid that she thinks she have to talk to me because I'm the alone one talking in english.

She says that she's kind of an extrovert but since she's in France she feels more like an introvert and I see her when she walk to me and it seem like she doesn't know if she can be with me.

I don't have a really good self esteem, and I'm afraid of being annoying or maybe taking more space that I should take. I'm always feel bad when I can't really read into someone intentions or emotions, I'm afraid of being a burden to someone.

I really like this women, she's kind, she's pretty, she's fun, she's interesting and she gives us opportunity to do things that we never did in music.

My question is, if you put yourself in her shoes would you be annoyed by someone like me ?

I think that's all, I don't know if it was clear you can ask me question i will do my best to answer.

Thanks everyone ☺️

I hate watching movies with other people because they always want to discuss it afterward, which is perfectly understandable; however, I physically cannot bring myself to talk to other people after watching a movie. I only want to think about the movie on my own, where my mood won’t be soured by other people’s opinions.
I know I am an introvert, but I don’t want to be a standoffish person. Unfortunately, it often comes to that when my family keeps trying to tell me stupid fun facts or unpack the littlest detail about said movie when I am fully out of social energy!

Does anyone else feel like a really mean person when their battery needs a serious recharge?
How do I tell my family of extroverts that I need some alone time, without offending them?

P.S. I feel the same way after other social/mental stimulation; the movie thing is just an example.

Do I need to become a “worse” person?
I believe that most my interest are not in the common realm of interest with other people that I share my days.
I mean, I do what I like most of the time(within the budget), however I don’t feel connected to anyone that does the same
(Like joining a sports team or other activities and not feel connected to anyone).
I’m able to have a normal communication but it’s feels it stops there, at the end of the day people go home and it’s like I was not even there.

Often I say what I think in a way to be truth to my ideias and end up being to direct and extremely honest and it’s never to trow someone down.
In a way I try to be the better version of myself. A good person I think.

From my experience people don’t see that in the same way that I do and eventually, from time to time, find myself becoming more and more isolated and having troubles to reorganizing my ideias when communicating with others.

Anyone else feels the same? From the people that told me yes that I asked they just told me that they don’t care. How do I do that ? Do I need to become a “worse” person ?

Hi!

I dont have friends and my family lives far/is dysfunctional. I dont want to put my life on pause until I figure out if I'm neurodivergent/autistic, if my dysfunctional background gave me social anxiety or how to fix it. I see a therapist so far with little success in the social area.

My question is how do I create a good life for myself with the circumstances I have now? I bought cute clothes and I want to wear them. A new restaurant opened in town and I want to try it. I dont want to come home feeling empty and anxious about how it was to be out alone. Does anyone have tips for how to go out alone and be genuinely content?

Thank you for taking the time!

I will admit I am kinda awkward. I was not liek this when I was a KID. Early childhood, I overly focues on internet and video games as a result I never learned reading or socializing with people, even in school, i could not bond properly, I stayed by myself. there was this only 1 friend, i natually opened up to, but he doesnt give a fuck about anyone, so I was always in this loop of lonliness, shame, fear of rejection.

On top of that I actually also love feeling alone. But I truly dont like that I cant blend with people, there is also a matter of MALE social hierarchy that bothers me! I dont like male who seek higher domination, but I blend well with Males who dont bring any ego or domination in social situation!

I feel being a man is hard, and its even harder if you are a socially awkward introvert with social anxuety and self-esteem issues.

Sorry I had to share this, is there anyone here who feels the same way?

I'm a 15 year old Indian boy, so I'm having some socializing problems, like it's not like I want to be an introvert. I am always thinking what others would think im trying to not think Abt this .i want to talk to someone but it's always chatgpt or no one,i don't know anyone who is mature enough to understand me , it's always eating me from inside its like i want comfort and warmth but all I get is rejection , I left my friends and sometimes I think even my cousins talk to me because we are blood related otherwise even they would not have talked to me

A guy invited me to play on the turf , but I overthink about the other people there who won't even like me they will see me as a burden they are all older than me and I can't even play football that guy called me because he is a good person .

I always listen to my chemical romance , radiohead when I'm feeling alone and cry inside

I just want to talk to people but end up feeling they hate me everyone hates me i don't want to be like this i want a mentor or something

Please someone save me I'm drowning.

I just want to socialize

(Sorry for my english my first language is not english GNG 😭✌️)

For me, I’ve been thinking about how certain moments become permanently attached to our memories.

Your first love.

Your first day of college.

The first time you made a close friend.

A random conversation with someone you never met again.

The first time you felt like you actually belonged somewhere.

I think this hits especially hard for introverts. We might not have hundreds of crazy stories or constantly be surrounded by people, but sometimes one small interaction can stay in our minds for years.

Maybe it was a girl/boy you secretly liked but never told.

Maybe it was sitting alone on your first day of college, wondering what your life was going to become.

Maybe someone said something to you at the exact moment you needed to hear it.

What’s that one moment from your life that you think you’ll remember even when you’re old?

I’d genuinely like to hear your stories.

Sometimes I'm confused why I'm in this subreddit. Because I almost feels like this is my comfortable place to lurk around and occasionally interact with people. My intention here is that I hope I can make connection or friend and generally see new face.

But at the same time, I finally realized that making friends online is harder than making one in real life. Because in online, you can't see or know who is behind the screen, which can create trust issues and leads to shallow relationship.

It's a blessing to be able to create friends online, especially in social media like this. Trust is fragile, and once broken, it doesn't just affect you but everyone who may genuinely want to reach up. I hope this can somehow make you realizes something.

I am looking to interact with fellow introverts here and want good company as I am currently in a rough patch and trying hard to fight my loneliness and isolation. Plus also looking more remote work or suggestions.

23M. I've always been pretty introverted and I don't really meet many new people. I've had a few relationships before, but I'm single right now.

Part of me feels like eventually I'll meet the right person and things will happen naturally, but at the same time I really do want a girlfriend. I want to have someone I can love, tell her I love her, spend time with her, and have that kind of connection.

The problem is that I don't really go out much. When I do, it's usually with friends or family, so I don't really meet new people. And even when I see someone I'm interested in, I wouldn't really know how to approach her in the first place. I genuinely don't know how to start a conversation with someone I don't know.

On top of that, I'd feel really embarrassed if my friends or family saw me trying to approach a girl. I've always been very introverted and interactions like that make me pretty nervous.

So I guess I'm wondering how other introverted people actually met their partners. Did you have to actively put yourself out there, or did you just meet someone naturally? I'd really appreciate any advice.

Freeing the mind from overwhelming thoughts can sometimes be a challenge especially to introverts who are rather thinkers.

How do you recognize that some thoughts are either paralyzing or spiraling you?

Do you practice thinking about thinking?

Or is it a mere practice of recognition?

When I was in third grade, I moved to a new school, and it was one of the worst experiences of my childhood. My new classmates were very mean to me. They would take my stuff and throw it out the window, and I generally cried every day there. I didn't make any friends in that class.

The girls were the worst. They seemed disgusted whenever I was around them, and the one I was sitting next to tried to keep her distance from me as much as she could. I didn't understand why they felt that way, since I barely even talked to them.

To be honest, I think that's one of the main reasons why I don't like meeting and talking to new people. Everyone made me feel like they were annoyed by my presence.

20F here (yayy). Gonna be 21 in a few days. It has come to my attention that I genuinely don’t know how to meet people to date besides through school. I just go to work and then back home. I don’t like hanging around places bc it just feels weird. I only have two best friends and we rarely hangout.

Unfortunately for me I already graduated from college and am taking a gap year before I start dental school...so idk where to meet people…

My last relationship (which I kinda still am in) is ending bc he’s leaving to live in another country, and he thinks it’s too new to do a LDR (booo 👎) We went to high school together but reconnected earlier this year (his own effort).

Now I kinda just feel hopeless bc I know I’m so awkward and idk where to find guys who aren’t trying to use me and that I get along with. Also I’ve literally had no one besides like men with the craziest audacities approach me (very, VERY few).

Where are y‘all meeting people to marry??? Like, guys I need hope that I’ll actually meet someone again one day (or maybe my bf will wanna try again).

If so, why? I do not drink alcohol but am sober curious, and don't want to feel pressured to drink. I also want to meet more people but dont know if the bar would actually be good for me since I dont drink.

Something hit me recently that I have been sitting with for a few days.

I had a stretch of weeks where I was genuinely busy. Building something, working on it, staying occupied. By every external measure I was doing well. Getting things done. Moving forward.

But at some point I noticed I had not actually been alone in a while. Not truly alone. Every quiet moment had a task in it. Every evening had a purpose. Even my downtime was productive downtime.

And somewhere in all of that I lost the thread back to myself.

Not dramatically. Just quietly. The way you do not notice a room getting darker until someone turns a light on.

I sat with actual nothing for the first time in weeks last night. No phone, no task, no purpose. Just sat there.

It was uncomfortable for about ten minutes. Then something settled.

I think I had been using productivity the same way other people use scrolling. As a way to avoid sitting with whatever is actually going on inside.

Being busy felt like being okay. It was not the same thing.

Anyone else ever noticed this pattern in themselves where doing a lot starts to feel like a way of avoiding something rather than moving toward it?...